'Edge of precipice:' New fire board seeks to clean up Lecompte mess

Lecompte residents spoke Monday during a town council meeting about the change in the town's fire rating from a Class 4 to a Class 10, which means higher homeowners insurance rates.
Melissa Gregory/mgregory@thetowntalk.com

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Fire equipment sits in a bay at the Lecompte Volunteer Fire Department. The rescue squad that usually holds most of the equipment is out of service.(Photo: Melissa Gregory/The Town Talk)Buy Photo

The chief of the volunteer fire department, Mike Hanks, can't even afford fire insurance for his home. The monthly mortgage for another resident, William Wilson, skyrocketed from $462 to more than $1,100.

And officials are warning that all residents will face a choice in November — either fund a new fire district or face a bleaker future.

Board members of the new Fire District 18 met June 13 for the first time at the old Lecompte High School. Ed Christie, one of two residents who sued Lecompte over alleged improper use of tax revenue with the Rapides Parish District Attorney's Office, described how he viewed the situation for the few citizens who attended.

"We are at the edge of a precipice here," said Christie, chairman of the new board.

How the town got to that edge involves a 1 percent sales tax passed in 1989 to fund operations of and facilities for the town's garbage collections and for facilities for fire protection and civil defense. The proposition never allotted specific amounts that entities were to receive, though.

In the ensuing years, the state of Louisiana abolished its department dealing with civil defense. It was replaced with the Louisiana Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

According to the lawsuit, town officials began using tax revenue for the police department during fiscal years ending in 2014 and 2015. The money went to, among other things, pest control for the small police station, electrical bills, fuel for police cars and orange warning cones.

Meanwhile, turnout gear for all of the department's volunteers are older than five years, the point at which they are recommended to be replaced. None of the alarms on the department's air packs, which sound off if a firefighter becomes unresponsive, are working.

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William Wilson (center) is one of five members of the new Fire District 18 board. The jump in fire ratings from 4 to 10 took his monthly mortgage payment from $462 to more than $1,100.(Photo: Melissa Gregory/The Town Talk)

The roof of the main station keeps leaking. Several vehicles are out of service.

The fire department deteriorated to such a state that it failed an evaluation last year by the Property Insurance Association of Louisiana (PIAL). It resulted in the fire rating jumping from a Class 4 to Class 10, and much higher rates for property owners.

After the lawsuit was filed in January, both the town and the Rapides Parish Police Jury passed motions with an eye toward a new fire district that would solve the issue.

The jury's motion calls for the creation of Fire District 18, a region that would include some areas bordered by La. Highway 3170 to La. Highway 470 down beyond Interstate 49 back up to La. Highway 457.

Meanwhile, the town's motion would call for a new tax to replace the existing one, removing the fire department.

Donna Andries, the administrator for the Rapides Sales and Use Tax Department, told residents at the June 13 meeting that sales tax rates for residents within Lecompte would go from 10 percent to 10.5 percent, while residents outside the town would see rates go from 8.5 to 9.5 percent.

When asked by someone in the audience, Juror Richard Billings said the idea was his. And he also said residents who wish to improve their fire rating had little choice.

"Your next step is uninsurable," said the longtime juror. "This is the first time in Rapides Parish that I've seen this."

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A firefighter's turnout coat sits in a bay at the Lecompte Volunteer Fire Department. It's recommended that turnout gear be replaced every five years, and all of Lecompte's gear has gone beyond that recommended limit.(Photo: Melissa Gregory/The Town Talk)

An unidentified woman at the meeting asked people if they realized what that would mean. Property owners wouldn't be able to sell, and there would be no growth in the area. She said she already has tried to sell her property, but cannot.

She and others were concerned that new tax funds might be handled by Lecompte officials, which Christie said would not happen. The new board was formed to oversee the proposed district, and members serve one-year terms.

Wilson, whose mortgage payment shot up by $4,000 annually, is one of the board members. He lays the blame for the situation with Lecompte officials.

He and others, including Billings, Christie and Rapides Parish Sheriff William Earl Hilton, urged the residents to do something.

Hilton pointed to an incident where firefighters were refused gasoline for one of their trucks at a local station because the town hadn't paid its bill.

"That's a damn shame," he said.

Randy Gilchrist, who lives outside Lecompte town limits, spoke in favor of the tax proposition.

"This will allow me to pay my fair share," he said. "It's the right thing to do for our community."

Cathy Norris, a member of the fire department, asked residents to get the word out about the proposed district and tax.

"This, to me, is the only answer," she said.

Norris and other firefighters, including Chief Mike Hanks, spoke to The Town Talk about the state of their department and dealing with town officials. They said, in the immediate aftermath of the fire rating notices, residents blamed them for the increase.

“They were mad at us until they found out what happened," said Hanks, who also is a Lecompte police officer.

The fire district board will continue to meet at 6 p.m. at the old Lecompte High School, 2204 St. Charles St., on the second Tuesday of each month. The meetings are open to the public, and Christie is urging residents to get involved.

The lawsuit is still active, and Lecompte attorney Tiffany Sanders recently filed notices of appeal to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals on two recent decisions from 9th Judicial District Court Judge Thomas Yeager.